Sunday, November 1, 2009

In this crazy world of ours, it’s important to find ways to relieve stress.

Personally, I shun prescription drugs as much as humanly possible. Too many people take too much medicine. Of the “only if in agony” mindset when it comes to pills, I try to find natural means of curing everything from headaches to all kinds of other aches and pains.

One way I’ve learned to reduce stress is to make pomanders. These are fragrant balls that add ambiance and good smells to the home. Making them is an exercise in patience and joy. By the time I finish making one, any stress I’ve been feeling is chased away.

I have an overflowing bowl of them on a table in our front hallway. Guests are usually curious as what is smelling so lovely as well as to what pomanders actually are!

Pomanders start out as fresh oranges, apples, lemons, limes, or even grapefruits, depending on the size you desire. Here are the steps to how I make them:

1) Gather, wash, and dry the piece of fruit you want to start with 2) Pour a plastic bottle of whole cloves into a bowl. I buy these in a dollar store at a local mall where they are the best price. It takes a lot of cloves to make one pomander.3) Start pushing cloves into the piece of fruit in a line. Work the line all the way around the fruit and continue pushing more cloves into the fruit until it's completely covered. Leave a little bit of space between rows. the act of pushing the cloves in is very relaxing and can be done while watching television, listening to music, or whatever. This is where the stress relief comes in.4) Next, empty a large container of ground cinnamon into a bowl. Add ground nutmeg, allspice, powdered ginger, and any other spices you desire. Mix gently together with a spoon.5) Roll cove-studded fruit in the spices until completely covered.6) Let "cure" for several weeks. The amazing thing is that the fruit will get very hard and will last for several years. You can store pomanders in a plastic bag with the spice mix or keep them out year-round. Personally, I like to put them out at this time of year, through the entire Christmas season.7) Have fun with this natural stress release project!

2 comments:

I relieve stress by listening to clsssical music. I never take medicines either unless I'm in dire need from pain.(usually dental work) Each person has their own special way of dealing with stress...I am glad you've found a way of your own. xo Diane

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